As systems, such as the multimedia entertainment, communications and diagnostic systems utilized in the transportation industry become more complex, a need arises for additional devices to communicate with one another or a more-central head-end. Historically, these systems included dedicated wiring extending between the various devices in order to support their communication. As systems have become more integrated and communication requirements have increased, the required amount of dedicated wiring has quickly become excessively large, both in terms of the space required for the wiring and the cost of the wiring and the attendant installation.
Many network systems have been developed to provide a common communications path between network devices and/or head-end. In transportation applications, for example, a network system may be utilized that includes network devices located throughout a vehicle to provide services to passengers for their benefit and convenience. In order for many of these network devices and other communication devices to effectively communicate, however, their physical locations and/or assigned logical addresses (e.g., IP address) need to be known. In an aircraft, for example, when a reading light button is pressed, the appropriate network system must know which light to activate; hence, it must know the light's physical location within the aircraft.
Therefore, it may be desirable to have an apparatus and method that takes into account at least some of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.